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PODCAST

Cold War Conversations

"Listening to even one episode of "Cold War Conversations" will make this sprawling, potentially intimidating period of history feel vivid and compelling." The New York Times Experience the Cold War like never before with Cold War Conversations — an award-winning podcast. Each week, host Ian Sanders brings you raw, firsthand accounts from the people who lived through one of history’s most tense and transformative eras — soldiers, spies, civilians, and more. These aren’t stories from textbooks

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All Episodes

89:04

Low Flying the Cold War USAF F-111 Nuclear Bomber (358)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/07/27

Due to personal circumstances, I’ve been unable to produce a new episode this week, however, you will be aware of the many gems in the back catalogue and I have chosen one of my favourites today which is a rip-roaring story of service in the USAF with Rick Shreve an F111 pilot which I know you will enjoy. Normal service should be resumed next week.Rick Shreve was a US Air Force F 111 pilot based at RAF Lakenheath in the UK. He was trained to carry out nuclear as well as conventional missions

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57:33

Reporting on the 1989 Revolution in Romania and the...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/07/19

Allan Little recounts his journey from his student days in Edinburgh to working as a journalist the front lines of Cold War history in Eastern Europe and beyond.In 1989 he found himself on the night shift at the BBC’s Today programme in London when the Berlin Wall fell. Witnessing the world change in real time Allan’s desire to be part of these monumental events grew stronger. He shares is his experience as a journalist during the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Allan describes the

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56:47

Mafia Spies and the Plot to Kill Fidel Castro (356)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/07/16

Thomas Maier an investigative journalist is our guide to the shadowy world of organized crime and espionage where shares insights from his extensive research and writing, including his latest book and drama documentary "Mafia Spies," which explores the unlikely alliance between the CIA and the Mafia in their attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro.We dive into the lives of two central figures in "Mafia Spies": Sam Giancana and Johnny Roselli. Giancana, the head of the Chicago mob in the early 1960s,

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75:40

Teaching English in East Germany (355)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/07/12

Bärbel was born in a village near Magdeburg in 1962, She explores her personal and professional life growing up in East Germany. We delve into her family's views on the East German government, her journey to becoming a teacher, and her experiences teaching English. We cover gender roles and the pressures to become a member of the communist party. Also discussed are the ideological and societal differences between East and West Germany, as well as the impact of the Berlin Wall's fall. Bärbel

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68:40

Cold War Nuclear Bombing Missions and a UFO Encounter...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/07/05

Cold War RAF pilot Jeremy Lane, shares his gripping experiences, from nuclear bombing missions to a close encounter with a UFO.He was trained to fly the Canberra aircraft on nuclear bombing missions and describes how the American weaponry they would have used required dual control from both the President of the United States and the British Prime Minister. Jeremy also describes the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duties where aircraft were always on standby, ready to fly their nuclear missions at a

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46:34

Cheltenham Schoolboy to Cold War Canberra Jet Pilot...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/06/28

Jeremy Lane’s fascination for aviation was nurtured by countless childhood hours watching aircraft at Staverton Airport and North Weald. He shares his experiences flying the Jet Provost and later, the Canberra. He describes the capabilities of this versatile and iconic aircraft, from high-speed reconnaissance to its nuclear role. The Canberra's design, with its twin jet engines and rudimentary navigation equipment, required high skill and constant attention. The stories of flying at low levels,

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65:27

A Cold War Hungarian Journey Through War, Revolution,...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/06/21

In this comprehensive narrative, Imre recounts his life from his birth in 1936 in Hungary to his emigration to the West after the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.He discusses the influence of his family’s Hungarian and German heritage, his father’s work in the oil industry, and the impact of World War II and communist rule on his upbringing. The account vividly describes his education, military training, and involvement in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. He also highlights his subsequent escape to Austria

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48:02

Mutiny in the East German Army (351)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/06/14

In this riveting account, Tilo recounts his experiences as an East German soldier during the final months of East Germany.He details the rising political awareness among soldiers, and his fear that his unit will be asked to shoot on demonstrators also provides a personal perspective on the pivotal moments leading up to and following the fall of the Berlin Wall, including attending massive protests and his first visit to West Berlin. Spurred by a broadcasted precedent of concession to striking

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72:45

Face to face with the Soviets at the Cold War...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/06/07

This episode is brought to you by the CNN Original Series Secrets & Spies: A Nuclear Game which premieres 2nd June 2024 and is available now on BBC Iplayer). The series tracks the spies operating behind the scenes in the 1980s as the Cold War brings two superpowers to the brink of nuclear war.This razor-sharp series examines the tenuousness of global geopolitics during the Cold War and features my guest Ken Adelman who served as the Director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency for

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52:36

The President’s Kill List - Assassination and US...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/05/31

Luca Trenta is an associate professor at Swansea University and has recently authored The President's Kill List: Assassination and US Foreign Policy Since 1945. We dig in detail into the contents of the book delving into the history of Cold War CIA operations including instances of electoral interference and assassination. Our conversation explores key historical episodes, including U.S. actions in Italy, Cuba, Chile, and assassinations in the context of the Cold War. Case studies feature notable

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33:58

The sinking of the USS Scorpion and the Velvet...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/05/28

I’m a big fan of the History Daily podcast, where my good friend Lindsay Graham takes you back in time to explore a momentous moment that happened ‘on this day’ in history. Visit Historydaily.com or search History Daily in your podcast app to learn more. As an introduction to History Daily I have selected two Cold War-themed episodes that I know you will enjoy. The first is the story of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Scorpion which disappeared in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with 99 men on

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68:40

A US Diplomat's Son in Cold War Soviet Union,...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/05/24

In this fascinating interview, Patrick D. Joyce recounts his unique experience growing up as the son of a U.S. diplomat during the Cold War. Living in the diplomatic community of the Soviet Union, Nicaragua, and Cuba, Patrick shares vivid memories of his father's career as a Soviet and linguistic expert, who rose to become Deputy Ambassador at both the Moscow and Havana US embassies. The discussion touches on the juxtaposition of ordinary family life in various U.S. embassies around the world

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50:25

East German Army Bullying, Serving in a Brigade HQ...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/05/17

Warning: This episode does cover the subject of suicide. If you need help please use these links: UK https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/contact-samaritan/ Rest of the World https://findahelpline.com/i/iasp Tilo shares his raw and powerful testimony of a young man conscripted into the East German military at the height of Cold War tensions. He recounts the daunting prospect of being drafted into the border guards, an assignment he was determined to avoid at all costs due to his moral

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82:42

America's Cold War Scottish Bastion (345)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/05/10

David McKay is a former Cold War special forces officer and author of Bubbleheads, SEALs and Wizards: America's Scottish Bastion in the Cold War. His book highlights the Scottish bases' significant role in supporting the US military over three decades. David brings his expertise into play, examining this intriguing story by reaching out to more than one hundred veterans and expert witnesses. Their contributions reveal the personal stories of history, not high-end diplomacy. We also delve into the

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53:08

The Challenges of a Christian East German Childhood...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/05/03

Tilo offers an engaging and personal account of growing up in East Berlin before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He begins by describing his early childhood in a rundown building in Prenzlauer Berg before moving to a new prefab neighbourhood in Lichtenberg.Tilo’s grandfather on his mother’s side was a pastor in the Lutheran church and second in command to a Bishop at the end of his career. His grandfather on his father’s side had been a teacher and had joined the Nazi party After the World War Two he

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82:01

Commanding a Cold War US Navy Nuclear Missile...

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/04/26

Bill Woodman is a former US Navy nuclear missile submarine commander, who shares his rich experiences from joining the US Naval Academy in 1964 to commanding two SSBN submarines, the USS James Monroe and the USS Alabama during the Cold War. Bill opens up about his initial aspirations, rigorous training at the Naval Academy, and his challenging interviews with the legendary Admiral Rickover who directed the original development of US naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three

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59:47

My friend the Bridge of Spies spy - Part 2 (342)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/04/19

Burt recounts the surreal experience of learning about Fisher's true identity from a newspaper headline, the subsequent FBI interrogations, and the emotional courtroom testimony where he struggled to reconcile his friendship with the stark reality of espionage.Burt's journey leads him to Moscow in a failed attempt to reconnect with Fisher, revealing a labyrinthine world of secrets and paranoia. He shares a heartfelt letter he left for Fisher, expressing regret and longing for a simpler time when

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67:08

My friend the Bridge of Spies spy - Part 1 (341)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/04/12

In a riveting episode that peels back the layers of Cold War espionage, we sit down with Burt, an artist who unwittingly befriended a man better known as Colonel Abel, the infamous Bridge of Spies Spy who was exchanged for shot down US U2 pilot Gary Powers. Burt knew Abel as Emil Goldfuss but his real name was Willie Fisher from Newcastle Upon Tyne in England. Fisher was a Soviet agent deeply embedded in the fabric of New York City's bustling art scene. Burt's tale unfolds in a studio building

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45:16

A Diver Sapper in the Cold War Soviet Navy (340)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/04/05

Valeriy was a Soviet Navy diver sapper and was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. I have used a human translator for this episode so the main voice you will hear is my translator Galina Ryabova who was kindly funded by one of my financial supportersValeriy opens up about his childhood, the impact of the Great Patriotic War on his family, and his mother's resilience in raising him after his father's untimely death. He shares insights into his schooling, where history and geography sparked his

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97:13

Gymnastics and Pills: An East German Childhood (339)

Cold War Conversations ·

2024/03/30

Sirka offers a comprehensive exploration of life in East Germany, detailing the experiences of growing up in Neubrandenburg, the influence of the East German state and the Stasi, and the societal impacts of Mikhail Gorbachev's policies leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall. She also talks of her intensive gymnastics training and being given pills by her trainer... Sirka also describes the transition to reunification, highlighting the challenges of adapting to a new economic system and the mixed

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